JP2024010132A - Pet food product - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pet food product prepared from more sustainable materials and improved in palatability.

SOLUTION: A pet food product comprises a fat component in an amount from 2.0 mass% to 8.0 mass% based on the total mass of the pet food product, and a proteinaceous component in an amount from 6.0 mass% to 14.0 mass% based on the total mass of the pet food product. The proteinaceous component comprises polypeptides and free amino acids. The ratio of the fat component to the proteinaceous component is from about 0.45:1.0 to about 1.0:1.0. The amount of the free amino acids in the pet food product is at least 0.5 mass% based on the total mass of the pet food product.

SELECTED DRAWING: None

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to the use of free amino acid-containing proteinaceous additives to improve the palatability of pet food products, and to pet food products having a specific fat-to-protein ratio and comprising free amino acid-containing proteinaceous ingredients.

Many of the companion animals of dogs and cats can be picky about their food. Cats in particular are more picky than dogs, and there is a particular need to develop new pet food products for cats. Animals often stop eating food that they have been accepting for some time, or they eat only the minimum amount of food they need. This situation may be due in part to subtle changes in the composition of the feed. While the humans who purchase them may not notice these changes, companion animals such as dogs and cats can be sensitive to these differences due to differences in their olfactory and gustatory systems. These sensory differences may be due to natural variations in the raw materials used, or due to scarcity of materials that must be substituted with alternatives, such as sustainable materials. This can be quite distressing to the owner and can lead to the owner believing that the animal is unsatisfied and not enjoying its food. Animals may not be able to obtain the necessary amounts of essential nutrients if they do not consume enough of the food provided. Therefore, there is a need for a method to encourage feeding of food provided to companion animals. Many commercially available pet foods are offered in a wide variety of flavors and/or textures. However, owners of companion animals may find that their companion animals suddenly refuse, for no apparent reason, the products they thought they would like the most.

Pet food products may contain meat and typically contain large amounts of animal by-products to prepare high-quality food that provides the nutritional profile pets need without competing with human meat needs. and materials of non-animal origin. As the world's population increases, the global demand for high-protein foods, including meat, is expected to increase, so the need for pet foods prepared from alternative proteins while meeting the nutritional needs of pets is expected to increase. be done. It is desirable to meet these demands without increasing (and preferably decreasing) the environmental impacts of population growth, especially with regard to deforestation and climate change. It is also desirable to improve the palatability of pet food products made from more sustainable materials.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, new pet food products that are not limited to or dependent on the use of specific raw materials, maintain at least the palatability of existing products, and in particular improve the palatability of pet food products. It is desirable to provide the following. Specifically, it is desirable to provide new pet food products prepared from more sustainable materials and to provide methods for improving the palatability of pet food products prepared from more sustainable materials. Additionally, new products should preferably be prepared within the general framework of existing recipes and using existing processing equipment, and should provide a way to improve the palatability of existing pet food products. is also desired.

We investigated whether companion animals can distinguish between pet food products with different fat and protein contents and the effects of altering the proteinaceous components of pet food products. Surprisingly, we found that companion animals are able to distinguish between products with different fat-to-protein ratios, and that companion animals are able to differentiate between products with different fat-to-protein ratios, and that companion animals are able to differentiate between products with different fat-to-protein ratios, and where some of the protein is free amino acid-containing proteinaceous additives or substituted/ We found that people prefer products that are being substituted. Unexpectedly, the inventors have discovered that the effect of free amino acids on product palatability is dependent on the fat to protein ratio of the product.

The results of the feeding test (test A) are shown. The results of the feeding test (test B) are shown.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a fat component in an amount of about 2.0% to about 8.0% by weight, based on the total weight of the pet food product; a proteinaceous component in an amount of 6.0% to about 14.0% by weight, the proteinaceous component comprising polypeptides and free amino acids, and the ratio of fat component to proteinaceous component is 0.45:1.0. to about 1.0:1.0, and the content of free amino acids in the pet food product is at least 0.5% by weight, based on the total weight of the pet food product.

The inventors have discovered that the palatability of pet food products containing fat and protein can be improved by the addition of free amino acids. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a pet food product comprising a fatty component and a proteinaceous component, the proteinaceous component comprising a polypeptide and a free amino acid. Free amino acids include one or more types of free amino acids. The free amino acids are preferably selected from the group consisting of alanine, glycine, histidine, proline, serine and threonine. More preferably, the free amino acids consist of or include at least glycine and optionally one or more other amino acids, preferably selected from alanine, histidine, proline, serine and threonine. In one embodiment, the free amino acid consists of glycine.

Free amino acids may be derived from or as such from protein hydrolysates. Similarly, free amino acids may be derived from yeast extracts or themselves.

The term "proteinaceous" refers to any substance containing amino acids, such as free amino acids and polypeptides. The term "polypeptide" herein includes "short polypeptides," which are sometimes referred to herein as "peptides." The proteinaceous component of the pet food of the invention includes, and may consist of, polypeptides and free amino acids.

The term "proteinaceous additive" as used herein refers to a substance containing free amino acids. The proteinaceous additive may consist of or consist essentially of free amino acids. Proteinaceous additives may also be in the form of, or derived from, protein hydrolysates or yeast extracts. The protein hydrolyzate or the yeast extract, particularly the yeast extract, may optionally further comprise polypeptides.

The term "protein" herein refers to a proteinaceous component that may or may not contain free amino acids; for example, the term "protein" may refer to a substance consisting of a polypeptide.

The term "fat to protein ratio" as used herein refers to the ratio of the total amount of fat components in a pet food product to the total amount of proteinaceous components in the pet food product. "Fat to protein" ratio is sometimes abbreviated herein as "F:P."

As an example, if there is no change in the fat content of a pet food product, adding proteinaceous additives to the pet food product will result in a fat to protein ratio (F: P) decreases. The inventors have discovered that the addition of proteinaceous additives can alter the palatability of pet food products. However, we also observed that animals are sensitive to changes in the F:P ratio and that adding proteinaceous additives to a recipe does not necessarily improve palatability. Unexpectedly, the inventors have found that by replacing a portion of the protein with a free amino acid-containing proteinaceous additive, the palatability of wet pet food products is significantly improved. In this scenario, the addition of proteinaceous additives does not reduce the F:P ratio because the total amount of proteinaceous material in the product is unchanged by the substitution.

Most notably, we have determined that the pet food product (i) comprises a free amino acid-containing proteinaceous component, and (ii) has a fat to proteinaceous component ratio (F:P) of about 0. It has been found that palatability is most significantly improved when the ratio is from 45:1.0 to about 1.0:1.0. The F:P ratio of the pet food product is preferably less than about 0.9:1.0, preferably less than or equal to about 0.8:1.0, preferably less than or equal to about 0.75:1.0, preferably at least about 0.5:1.0, preferably at least about 0.6:1.0, preferably at least about 0.65:1.0, and preferably the F:P ratio is about 0.7:1.0. It is.

Replacing a portion of the protein in a reference or existing pet food product with a free amino acid-containing proteinaceous additive results in a higher proportion of free amino acids in the proteinaceous ingredient compared to the reference/existing pet food product, as further discussed below. Specifically, the pet food of the present invention, wherein the proteinaceous component contains free amino acids in an amount of 3% to 50% by weight, more preferably 12% to 50% by weight, based on the total weight of the proteinaceous component. product is obtained.

Pet foods are usually classified based on their moisture content:
(1) Dry or low moisture content products (defined herein as exhibiting a moisture content of less than 15% by weight). These products are typically highly nutritious and convenient.
(2) Semi-moist or semi-dry or soft-dry or intermediate or moderate moisture content products (defined herein as exhibiting a moisture content of 15 to 50% by weight).
(3) Wet or high moisture content products (defined herein as exhibiting moisture content greater than 50% by weight). These products are generally the most palatable to pets.

The term "pet food" herein refers to a food composition designed for consumption by pets. The wet pet food described herein is preferably a nutritionally balanced food to provide adequate amounts of all the essential nutrients needed by the pet.

The pet food can be a pet food that is beneficial to the pet's health and/or nutrition, such as a weight management pet food, a satiating pet food, and/or a pet food that can improve the pet's renal function.

Pet food products and the ingredients used therein are selected for consumption by pets and are not intended for consumption by humans. The term "pet" herein preferably refers to a domestic animal, preferably a companion animal, especially a cat or a dog, and in a preferred embodiment a cat.

Wet pet food products typically include reconstituted meat materials from the reconstitution of animal by-products. The invention particularly relates to wet pet foods, of which there are two main types.

The first type of wet pet food product is known as a "patty" or "loaf" and is typically made by heat treating a mixture of edible ingredients to form a homogeneous semi-solid mass composed of heat-set proteins ( mass). This homogeneous mass is usually packed into single-serve or multi-serve containers, which are then sealed and sterilized. The packed homogeneous mass takes the shape of a container.

The second type of wet pet food product is known as "chunk-in gravy," "chunk-in jelly," or "chunk-in mousse," depending on the nature of the source ingredients, and these types of products are Collectively referred to herein as "chunk in source" products. The chunks include pieces of meat or more typically aesthetically reconstructed or reconstituted meat chunks. As discussed in more detail below, reconstituted meat chunks are typically prepared by creating a meat emulsion that includes a thermosetting component and applying thermal energy to "harden" the emulsion into the desired shape. be done. The product pieces are combined with a sauce (eg, gravy, jelly or mousse) in a single-serve or multi-serve container, after which the container is sealed and sterilized.

The present invention particularly relates to "chunk-in-sauce" wet pet food products, particularly "chunk-in-gravy" and "chunk-in-jelly" wet pet food products.

Reconstituted animal materials contain fats, antioxidants, carbohydrate sources, fiber sources, additional protein sources (including vegetable proteins), and flavorings traditionally used in the production of reconstituted meat and wet pet food products. Any of the following materials may be included: colorants, flavors, minerals, preservatives, vitamins, emulsifiers, starchy materials, and combinations thereof.

Reconstituted animal materials are sometimes referred to as "meat substitutes."

Reconstituted animal materials can be prepared by extrusion processes at high temperatures according to conventional techniques known in the art.

In a preferred embodiment, the reconstituted animal material is prepared by high moisture extrusion techniques or melt techniques, such as those described in WO 00/69276 and WO 2018/125615. I can do it. Other preferred methods for producing reconstituted animal materials are described in US Pat. No. 4,247,562. Generally speaking, a heated extruder is used to mix the materials, usually with water. The mixture is plasticized and heated to form a viscous, at least partially molten mass at elevated temperatures. An extruder mixes, heats, solidifies, expands, and shears the mixture into a meat-like mass, which is then extruded and shaped into the desired shape.

In a further preferred embodiment, the reconstituted animal material is prepared by a method comprising the following steps:
(a) minced animal material (suitably prepared by grinding pieces of animal material to prepare minced animal material, the animal material being selected from meat, animal by-products and combinations thereof); The process of preparing;
(b) preparing a slurry by mixing said minced animal material with a thermosetting binder and optionally additive materials, such as those conventionally used in the manufacture of reconstituted meat and wet pet food products as described above; The process of;
(c) imposing shear conditions on the slurry to produce an emulsion;
(d) forming an emulsion layer;
(e) heating said emulsion layer to an internal temperature of 70° C. or higher (preferably about 80° C. or higher); and (f) cutting or shredding said layer to reconstitute disparate pieces of animal material. The process of making.
This is the preferred method of manufacturing the pet food products of the invention.

The materials can be mixed using any suitable equipment conventional in the art, such as a heated extruder or a jacketed paddle mixer, optionally combining the materials with water.

In the above method, the slurry is preferably about 50 to about 99% by weight (preferably about 60 to about 99% by weight, preferably about 65 to about 99% by weight, and preferably about 95% by weight or less or about 90% by weight). or about 85% by weight or less) of minced animal material.

Emulsification of the slurry can be carried out in any conventional apparatus, such as a bowl chopper or meat grinder, including a combination of a rotating knife and a die plate having holes through which the material of a predetermined diameter (e.g., about 0.5 mm to about 10 mm) passes. It can be done with If desired, the resulting material may then be transferred to a mixer, to which water, dry material (eg, powdered vegetable protein) and liquid material may be added.

Layers of emulsion formed in this manner can, for example, take the form of sheets, slabs, ribbons or strands.

The layer of emulsion is suitably heated from below by applying steam to the underside of the continuous belt conveying the layer and/or from above by bringing the steam into direct contact with the layer of emulsion. Preferably, the emulsion is cooked in a steam tunnel, typically comprising a conveyor system (such as a conveyor belt), blanching or cooking the emulsion with saturated or superheated steam injected from the top or bottom, thereby The emulsion is exposed to steam continuously and uniformly to allow it to fully cook and solidify. The emulsion may be in the form of separate chunks during the heating step, but is usually cut into chunks after the heating step.

The term "emulsion" herein refers to a concentrated mixture of water and other substances derived from raw materials such as meat or meat by-products. Such "emulsions" are dispersions of fat particles and air bubbles in a complex phase composed of water, solubilized meat proteins, cellular components, and other materials. This emulsion is also called meat "dough" or meat "slurry." These terms are well understood in the art and are used interchangeably. Emulsions typically contain materials such as soluble proteins, soluble muscle components, muscle fiber fragments, connective tissue fibers, bone, etc., and optionally proteins and/or starches and/or fibers of plant origin and/or minerals. , further comprising a continuous phase of an aqueous medium containing additives customary in the art.

The total protein content of the reconstituted animal material is preferably in an amount ranging from about 5 to about 40% by weight, preferably at least about 10% by weight, preferably at least about 15% by weight, typically about 36% by weight or less, preferably from about 25% to about 36% by weight. The protein may include animal protein, vegetable protein or any combination thereof. Animal protein, preferably at least 50% by weight animal protein, preferably at least about 60% by weight, preferably at least about 70% by weight, preferably at least about Contains 80% by weight animal protein, preferably at least about 90% by weight. Animal protein includes any animal source protein (including vertebrate and invertebrate proteins), such as proteins derived from mammals, poultry, fish and insects. Examples of suitable animal proteins include those derived from chicken, turkey, cow, sheep, pig, deer, buffalo, duck, kangaroo, shellfish, crustaceans, salmon, tuna, white fish, and the like. They are suitably obtained from muscle meat, organs, tendons, bones, etc. Further suitable animal proteins include proteins derived from milk or eggs. Vegetable proteins include proteins derived from wheat, corn, peas, lupine, potatoes, beans, lentils, such as wheat gluten, and those derived from oil production, such as sunflower, pumpkin, rapeseed, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, and hemp. Proteins from seed and nut press cakes are included. The protein may be in any suitable isolated or partially isolated, concentrated or minced form, without particular limitation.

An advantage of the present invention is that for a variety of products containing different protein sources, an improvement in palatability is observed by replacing part of the protein with a proteinaceous additive. The invention therefore increases the palatability of products made from more sustainable raw materials (e.g. to reduce the use of meat materials that are in high demand in the human food chain or for environmental reasons). provide a method. The present invention is also particularly useful for improving the palatability of products that would benefit from increased palatability, such as fish-free cat food products.

The fat content of the reconstituted animal material is preferably less than about 15% by weight, preferably less than about 13% by weight, preferably less than about 12% by weight, preferably less than about 10% by weight, preferably about 8% by weight. Preferably at least about 2% by weight, preferably at least about 4% by weight. The term "fat" herein refers to esters of fatty acids such as triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides and phospholipids. The fat preferably comprises at least 50% by weight, more preferably at least 70% by weight triglycerides. Fats may suitably include animal fats, vegetable oils, marine oils and combinations thereof. The fat usually comprises at least 10% by weight, more preferably at least 30% by weight and most preferably at least 50% by weight animal fat. The animal fat is preferably derived from an animal selected from cow, pig, sheep, goat, poultry, fish and combinations thereof.

The moisture content of the reconstituted animal material will typically be up to about 75%, or up to about 65%, and typically at least about 20% by weight, based on the total weight of the reconstituted animal material. % by weight or at least about 30% by weight or at least about 40% by weight or at least about 50% by weight, preferably in the range of about 50 to about 55% by weight.

The fiber and carbohydrate content of the reconstituted animal material is usually at most about 20% by weight, based on the total weight of the reconstituted animal material. The reconstituted animal material preferably comprises no more than about 10% by weight of fiber, preferably no more than about 5% by weight, preferably no more than about 2% by weight, based on the total weight of the reconstituted animal material. It usually contains about 1% by weight or less, preferably at least about 0.5% by weight.

When the pet food product is a wet pet food product, the reconstituted animal material forming the loaf or chunk typically exhibits a density of about 0.8 to about 1.2 g/ml.

The size of the reconstituted animal material will vary depending on the animal consuming the pet food and/or the format of the pet food. The longest dimension of the reconstituted animal material is typically from about 5 mm to about 200 mm, preferably at least about 10 mm, and preferably no more than about 150 mm. The reconstituted animal material is a suitable chunk for chunk-in source. In some cases, the longest dimension is preferably about 50 mm or less, more preferably about 40 mm or less, more preferably about 30 mm or less, and in preferred embodiments from about 5 mm to 25 mm, preferably from about 8 to about 16 mm.

The wet pet food of the invention may be a loaf (or pâté) product. As mentioned above, such products are typically in the form of a single piece of reconstituted animal material packaged in a container such as a can, pouch, tray, or the like. The reconstituted animal material in such form pieces will typically have a volume of about 20 to about 2,000 cm ³ , more preferably about 30 cm 3 when the wet pet food product is intended for dogs. ~1,500 cm ³ , such as from about 500 to about 1200 cm ³ , and typically from about 35 to about 450 cm ³ when the wet pet food product is intended for cats. After packaging or sealing, the product is preferably sterilized within the package, such as by retort sterilization.

The wet pet food product of the present invention is preferably a chunk-in sauce. As used herein, the term "sauce" includes gravies, jellies and mousses, and preferably refers to compositions in the form of liquids, pastes, gels or mousses. The sauce includes a liquid carrier such as water, fat or oil. The composition is preferably an aqueous composition. Chunked-in sauce is prepared by mixing the reconstituted animal material pieces and the sauce, filling the mixture into a package, sealing, and sterilizing the package, such as by retort sterilization. The reconstituted animal material pieces may be added to the package while a sauce, e.g. a heating source that warms the pieces and allows trapped gases to escape before sealing the package, is poured over the pieces. good. Alternatively, each ingredient is added to the reconstituted animal material and packaged, where each ingredient is added to the reconstituted animal material in the form of a source mixed with the reconstituted animal material within the package during a normal sterilization process. Become.

Sealing of the package can be done using ultrasound, heat or vacuum sealing, preferably using ultrasound or heat sealing.

Retort sterilization is preferably carried out at retort temperatures ranging from about 115° C. to about 130° C., preferably for about 20 to 120 minutes to produce a commercially sterile product.

The package can be a can (or tin) or a jar (eg, glass), or plastic, metal, foil pouch, or flexi-foil.

The wet pet food product may contain up to 100% by weight reconstituted animal material, preferably at least about 5% by weight reconstituted animal material, based on the total weight of the wet pet food product. can. In other words, the wet pet food product may contain, consist essentially of, or consist of reconstituted animal material. The loaf product preferably consists of or consists essentially of reconstituted animal material. Chunk-in-sauce products preferably have a reconstituted animal material:sauce ratio of about 20:80 to about 90:10, preferably at least about 30:70, preferably at least about 40:60, preferably at least about 50:50, preferably at least about 60:40.

The sauce component of the wet pet food product may be any suitable sauce commonly used in the wet pet food art and typically comprises at least about 80% by weight, and usually at least about 90% by weight, based on the total weight of the sauce. , usually exhibiting a moisture content of about 98% by weight or less. Sauces usually contain thickeners used to adjust their viscosity. Thickening or gelling agents that may be used in the preparation of the sauce include carrageenan, xanthan, guar gum, cassia gum, starch, gelatin, locust bean gum, tara gum, konjac gum, carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, and combinations thereof. The sauce is usually a coating over the reconstituted animal material.

Sources include additive materials traditionally used in the manufacture of wet pet food products, such as fats, antioxidants, carbohydrates, flavorings, colors, flavors, minerals, preservatives, vitamins, emulsifiers, starchy materials, and It can include combinations thereof.

In the present invention, the free amino acid-containing proteinaceous additive is preferably added to and contained in the chunk-in source. When the pet food product of the invention is a loaf product, the proteinaceous additive is preferably added to and included in the reconstituted animal material. However, a preferred pet food product of the present invention is a chunk-in-source wet pet food product in which a free amino acid-containing proteinaceous additive is added to and included in the sauce. Therefore, the free amino acids of the proteinaceous additive are preferably present in the source of the chunk-in-source wet pet food product.

The total fat content of the pet food product is preferably in an amount ranging from about 2.0% to about 8.0% by weight, preferably less than about 7.0% by weight, preferably less than about 6.0% by weight. , preferably at least about 3.0% by weight, preferably at least about 4.0% by weight, and preferably from about 4.0% to about 7.0% by weight.

The total protein content of the pet food product ranges from about 6.0 to about 14.0% by weight, preferably at least about 6.5%, preferably greater than 6.5%, preferably at least about 7.0% by weight. 0% by weight, preferably about 12.0% by weight or less, usually about 11.5% by weight or less, preferably about 10.0% by weight or less, preferably about 6.0% by weight to about 12.0% by weight. 0% by weight, preferably from about 6.5% to about 12.0% by weight, preferably from more than 6.5% to about 12.0% by weight, particularly preferably from about 6.0% to about 10.0% by weight % by weight, preferably about 6.5% by weight to about 10.0% by weight, preferably greater than 6.5% by weight to about 10.0% by weight, especially pet food products produced by the SFM process. Advantageously, a protein content of at least 6.0% by weight, preferably at least 6.5% or more by weight of the pet food product of the invention provides a complete nutritional product.

The content of free amino acids in the pet food product is at least 0.5% by weight, based on the total weight of the pet food product. The content of free amino acids in the pet food product is preferably at most about 6.0% by weight, or at most about 4.0% by weight, preferably about 0.5% by weight, based on the total weight of the pet food product. %, preferably at least 0.6%, preferably at least 0.7%, preferably in the range from about 0.7% to about 2.5%. When the free amino acid comprises glycine, the content of glycine in the pet food product is typically at most about 3.5% by weight, or at most about 2.5% by weight, or preferably at most about 2.0% by weight. and preferably at least about 0.5% or at least about 0.7% by weight, preferably in the range of about 1.0% to about 1.5% by weight, based on the total weight of the pet food product. be.

The amount of free amino acids present in the proteinaceous ingredients of the wet pet food product is preferably at least about 4%, preferably at least about 5%, preferably at least about 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the proteinaceous ingredients of the pet food product. 10% by weight, preferably at least about 12% by weight, preferably at least about 14% by weight, preferably at least about 15% by weight, preferably up to about 50% by weight, preferably up to 45% by weight, preferably about 40% by weight. %, preferably about 30% by weight or less, preferably about 25% by weight or less. Preferred ranges are from about 5% to about 50%, from about 5% to about 30%, preferably from about 10% to about 25% by weight, based on the total weight of the proteinaceous ingredients of the pet food product. . A more preferred range is from about 12% to about 50%, preferably from about 14% to about 25% by weight, based on the total weight of proteinaceous ingredients of the pet food product.

For the preferred chunk-in-source wet pet food product, the free amino acid-containing proteinaceous additive is preferably present in an amount of 0.5% to 6.0% by weight or as mentioned immediately above, based on the total weight of the pet food product. It is present in the source in an amount to provide a pet food product containing a preferred amount of free amino acids.

Preferably at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, preferably at least 70%, preferably at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, preferably at least 95% by weight of free amino acids in the pet food product, Preferably at least 98% by weight, preferably at least 99% by weight is provided by proteinaceous additives. Thus, in a preferred embodiment of a chunk-in-source wet pet food product, at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, preferably at least 70%, preferably at least 80%, preferably at least 90% % by weight, preferably at least 95% by weight, preferably at least 98% by weight, preferably at least 99% by weight of free amino acids is added in the sauce and provided by proteinaceous additives contained therein.

The total fiber content of the pet food product is preferably about 5% by weight or less, preferably about 2% by weight or less, preferably about 1% by weight or less, preferably at least about 0.1% by weight, based on the total weight of the product. be.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided the use of a proteinaceous additive containing free amino acids to improve the palatability of wet pet food products comprising reconstituted animal material chunks and sauces, wherein The wet pet food product comprises a fat component in an amount of 2.0% to 8.0% by weight and a fat component in an amount of 6.0% to 14.0% by weight, based on the total weight of the wet pet food product. a pet food comprising a proteinaceous component, the proteinaceous component comprising a polypeptide and a free amino acid, the ratio of fat component to proteinaceous component being from about 0.45:1.0 to about 1.0:1.0; The content of free amino acids in the product is at least 0.5% by weight, based on the total weight of the pet food product, and the proteinaceous component containing free amino acids is present in the source.

In a second aspect of the invention, proteinaceous additives are added to improve the palatability of existing pet food products by replacing some of the proteinaceous ingredients of existing recipes for wet pet food products with proteinaceous additives. Preferably, a pet food product is used to provide a wet pet food product of the present invention.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for improving the palatability of a wet pet food product comprising chunks and sauces of reconstituted animal material, the method comprising: The method includes the steps of: preparing chunks and sauce of a wet pet food product, wherein the wet pet food product contains a fat component in an amount of 2.0% to 8.0% by weight, based on the total weight of the wet pet food product; and 6. further comprising adding a proteinaceous additive to the sauce to include a proteinaceous component in an amount of 0% to 14.0% by weight, the ratio of fat component to proteinaceous component being about 0.45:1.0. ~ about 1.0:1.0, the content of free amino acids in the pet food product is at least 0.5% by weight, based on the total weight of the pet food product, and the proteinaceous component is a polypeptide and A method is provided that includes free amino acids.

In a third aspect of the invention, the step of adding a proteinaceous additive to the sauce to improve the palatability of the wet pet food product comprises converting some of the proteinaceous ingredients of the existing recipe of the wet pet food product into a proteinaceous additive. Preferably, this is done by substituting additives, resulting in a wet pet food product of the invention.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method for preparing a wet pet food product according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising adding free amino acid-containing protein to the product comprising reconstituted animal material. including the step of adding a sex additive. Preferably, the proteinaceous additive is added to the sauce component of the chunk-in-source wet pet food product.

The descriptions and preferences for the first aspect of the invention also apply to the second, third and fourth aspects of the invention.

The invention will now be described with reference to the following non-limiting examples.

Feeding Test Protocol The palatability of the test products (Examples 1-6) was evaluated using a ranking test. The intake (g) of each test product was measured and the average intake (g) of each test product was determined and analyzed.

Example 1-4 (Figure 1: Test A)
Wet cat food products containing reconstituted animal ingredients and gravy (Examples 1-4), ie, chunk-in-sauce type products, were prepared using typical recipes and conventional preparation techniques. Example 2 is an example according to the present invention. Examples 1, 3 and 4 are reference examples.

Example 1 had a fat to protein (F:P) ratio of 0.7, calculated as the F:P ratio in the total composition of the pet food product. This F:P ratio in wet cat food products can be altered by increasing the amount of proteinaceous material by adding protein (Example 3) or by adding the proteinaceous additive glycine (Examples 2 and 4). did. Proteinaceous additives were added into the sauce.

The palatability of four wet cat food products (Examples 1-4) was compared in a feeding study by measuring the amount of product consumed by cats according to the feeding study protocol described above. The results, as shown in Figure 1, indicate that there is no direct correlation between improved palatability, increased amount of proteinaceous material, and reduced F:P ratio. However, surprisingly, the data showed that there was a statistically significant preference for the product of Example 2 over Example 3, and that reducing the total protein content in combination with the addition of proteinaceous additives , indicating that palatability is improved. The statistically significant preference of Example 2 over Example 4 indicates that proteinaceous additives must be added at relatively high F:P ratios to significantly improve palatability.

The characteristics of each pet food product are shown in Table 1 below. All examples had the same appearance.

Example 5-6 (Figure 2: Test B)
Chunk-in-sauce wet cat food products (Examples 5 and 6) were prepared in a manner similar to that described above. Example 5 is an example according to the present invention. Example 6 is a reference example.

The product of Example 5 corresponds to Example 1, except that some of the proteinaceous material of Example 1 was replaced with glycine. Since the total amount of proteinaceous components was the same as in Example 1, the F:P ratios of Examples 1 and 5 were the same. Similarly, the product of Example 6 corresponds to Example 3, except that some of the proteinaceous material of Example 3 was replaced with glycine. Since the total amount of proteinaceous components was the same as in Example 3, the F:P ratios of Examples 3 and 6 were the same.

In this test, Examples 1, 3, 5, and 6 were evaluated to compare the palatability of four wet cat food products in the feeding test described above. The results are shown in Figure 2, indicating that replacing part of the protein with free amino acids improves the palatability of the product. However, unexpectedly, the effect of improving palatability by substituting part of the protein with free amino acids was greater when the F:P ratio was 0.7 (Example 6) compared to 0.35 (Example 6). 5) is statistically significant, indicating that cats can distinguish between products with different F:P ratios and that the F:P ratio is important. The data also show that the product of Example 5 was significantly preferred over Example 3, indicating that reducing total protein content in combination with the addition of proteinaceous additives improves palatability. Notably, the improvement in palatability from Example 3 to Example 5 was enhanced compared to the palatability improvement observed in Test A between Example 3 and Example 2, resulting in an increased F:P This shows that the ratio contributes to improving palatability.

The characteristics of each product are shown in Table 2 below. All examples had the same appearance.

Claims (24)

Fat components in an amount of 2.0% to 8.0% by weight, based on the total weight of the pet food product and proteins in an amount of 6.0% to 14.0%, based on the total weight of the pet food product. the proteinaceous component comprises a polypeptide and a free amino acid, the ratio of fat component to proteinaceous component is from about 0.45:1.0 to about 1.0:1.0, and the pet food A pet food product, wherein the amount of free amino acids in the pet food product is at least 0.5% by weight relative to the total weight of the product. Pet food product according to claim 1, wherein the proteinaceous ingredient comprises free amino acids in an amount of 3% to 50% by weight, preferably 12% to 50% by weight, relative to the total weight of the proteinaceous ingredient. The proteinaceous component contains a polypeptide in an amount of 75% to 95% by weight, based on the total weight of the proteinaceous component, and a free amino acid in an amount of 5% to 50%, based on the total weight of the proteinaceous component. Preferably, the proteinaceous component comprises polypeptide in an amount of 75% to 90% by weight, based on the total weight of the proteinaceous component, and an amount of 10% to 25% by weight, based on the total weight of the proteinaceous component. 2. The pet food product of claim 1, comprising free amino acids of. Said pet food product contains more than 0.5% by weight, preferably at least 0.6% by weight, preferably at least 0.7% by weight and preferably at most 6.0% by weight, relative to the total weight of the pet food product; Pet food product according to any of claims 1 to 3, comprising free amino acids in an amount preferably between 0.7% and 2.5% by weight. Pet food product according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the proteinaceous component comprises polypeptides derived from animal proteins and/or vegetable proteins. The pet food product according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the free amino acid comprises a free amino acid selected from the group consisting of alanine, glycine, histidine, proline, serine and threonine. A pet food product according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the free amino acids consist of glycine and optionally one or more free amino acids selected from the group consisting of alanine, histidine, proline, serine and threonine. 8. The pet food product of any of claims 1-7, wherein the ratio of fat components to proteinaceous components is from about 0.5:1.0 to about 0.9:1.0. 9. The pet food product of any preceding claim, wherein the ratio of fat to proteinaceous components is from about 0.65:1.0 to about 0.75:1.0. Pet food product according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the amount of fat component relative to the total weight of the pet food product is between 4.0% and 7.0% by weight. Any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the amount of proteinaceous ingredients relative to the total weight of the pet food product is between 7.0% and 12.0%, or between 7.0% and 11.0% by weight. Pet food products listed in. The pet food product comprises the free amino acid in an amount of 1.0% to 2.5% by weight, or 1.0% to 2.0% by weight, based on the total weight of the pet food product. The pet food product according to any one of Items 1 to 11. A pet food product according to any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the pet food product is a wet pet food product. Pet food product according to any of claims 1 to 13, which is a loaf or pate product in the form of a single piece pet food product, preferably having a piece volume of about 20 to about 2,000 cm ³ . Claims 1 to 13, wherein the pet food product is a chunk-in-sauce wet pet food product, in particular a chunk-in gravy or chunk-in jelly wet pet food product, comprising chunks of reconstituted animal material and further comprising a sauce. Pet food products listed in any of the above. The protein content of the reconstituted animal material is in the range of about 5 to about 40% by weight, based on the total weight of the reconstituted animal material, and the fat content of the reconstituted animal material is 16. The pet food product of claim 15, wherein the moisture content of the reconstituted animal material ranges from about 5% to about 40% by weight, preferably from about 20% to about 75% by weight. The reconstituted animal material:sauce ratio is from about 20:80 to about 90:10, preferably at least about 30:70, preferably at least about 40:60, preferably at least about 50:50, preferably at least 17. A pet food product according to claim 15 or 16, which is about 60:40. 18. The pet food product of claim 15, 16 or 17, wherein the sauce exhibits a moisture content of at least about 80% by weight, based on the total weight of the sauce. The free amino acid-containing proteinaceous additive is present in the source in an amount capable of providing a pet food product containing free amino acids in an amount of 0.5% to 6.0% by weight, based on the total weight of the pet food product. , a pet food product according to claim 15, 16, 17 or 18. Use of a free amino acid-containing proteinaceous additive to improve the palatability of wet pet food products containing reconstituted animal material chunks and sauces, comprising:
The wet pet food product comprises a fatty component in an amount of 2.0% to 8.0% by weight and a proteinaceous component in an amount of 6.0% to 14.0% by weight, based on the total weight of the wet pet food product. wherein the proteinaceous component comprises a polypeptide and a free amino acid, and the ratio of fat component to proteinaceous component is from about 0.45:1.0 to about 1.0:1.0; The amount of free amino acids in the pet food product is at least 0.5% by weight, based on the total weight of the pet food product, and the free amino acid-containing proteinaceous component is present in the source. Claim: wherein the proteinaceous additive is used to improve the palatability of an existing pet food product by replacing a portion of the proteinaceous ingredients of an existing recipe for a wet pet food product with the proteinaceous additive. 20 uses. A method of improving the palatability of a wet pet food product comprising reconstituted animal ingredient chunks and sauces, the method comprising:
The method includes the steps of providing reconstituted animal material chunks and sauce, and the method includes the steps of providing a reconstituted animal material chunk and sauce, wherein the wet pet food product contains between 2.0% and 8.0% by weight, based on the total weight of the wet pet food product. further comprising adding a proteinaceous additive to the sauce to include a fat component in an amount of 0% by weight and a proteinaceous component in an amount of 6.0% to 14.0% by weight;
The ratio of fat component to proteinaceous component is from about 0.45:1.0 to about 1.0:1.0, the proteinaceous component containing polypeptides and free amino acids, and the proteinaceous component containing polypeptides and free amino acids in the pet food product. A method, wherein the amount of amino acids is at least 0.5% by weight, based on the total weight of the pet food product. The process of adding proteinaceous additives to the sauce to improve the palatability of the wet pet food product involves adding some of the proteinaceous ingredients of the existing recipe of the wet pet food product to yield the wet pet food product of the present invention. 23. The method of claim 22, which is carried out by replacing the proteinaceous additive with a proteinaceous additive. Adding a free amino acid-containing proteinaceous additive to a product comprising reconstituted animal material, preferably adding the proteinaceous additive to a source ingredient of a chunk-in-source wet pet food product. A method for preparing a wet pet food product according to any one of Items 1 to 19.

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